mushroom and leek galette for two

I've toyed with the idea of going gluten-free...and by toyed I mean think about it for around 30 seconds and then start remembering all the reasons why it would be too hard for me. Crusts are one of the gluten-filled foods that would be really difficult for me to give up- pizza crusts, pie crusts, quiche crusts, you name it- I love them all. 

View fullsize

To me, the crust of this galette is the star of the dish. Yeah, the filling is savory and warm, filled with fragrant herbs and creamy gorgonzola cheese. But the crust is soft and just a little crispy at parts, and hearty from the addition of whole wheat flour. Together with the mushroom and leek filling, this is a simple, rustic dish that is also bound to impress your friends. 

It's also the perfect size for my little family, at about 8 inches across. It's just enough for two really hungry people, or three if you serve a nice salad on the side. The filling comes together in minutes, and while the crust requires some thought ahead of time because it needs to be refrigerated, the hands-on time is really very minimal. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will agree that this simple and filling dish is the perfect meal for a crisp early spring night. 

View fullsize

Mushroom and Leek Galette for Two

Makes one 8 inch galette, serving 2-3 

Ingredients

• For dough:
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch chunks 
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons ice water
  • 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar 
• Filling:
  • 10 ounces shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thin 
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 pound leeks, white and green parts only, sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon creme fraiche, plain yogurt, or sour cream 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 ounces gorgonzola crumbled gorgonzola cheese (a little less than 1/2 cup) 
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten 

To make the dough: combine flours, sugar and salt in food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until pea size pieces form, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. 

Sprinkle the ice water and vinegar over the dough. Fold using a rubber spatula until a shaggy mass forms- it's okay if you can still see some loose flour. 

Transfer dough to a square of plastic wrap and press into a rough square, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes. 

Transfer chilled dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 8 by 4 inch rectangle, with short side of rectangle parallel to the edge of counter. Fold the dough like a business letter, bringing the bottom third of dough up over middle third, then folding the upper fold over that. Turn the dough 90 degrees, and roll out dough again. Repeat the folding process. Turn the dough again, roll it out again, and fold it one more time. This time, after the last fold, fold the dough in half to create a little square. Wrap square in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to two days. Even though this folding process seems a little tedious, it's what creates the flaky, delicious layers in the dough. 

To make the filling: Microwave the mushrooms in a covered bowl until just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain, then return to the bowl. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and thyme, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened and begin to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Stir in the creme fraiche (or yogurt or sour cream) and mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. 

Roll out on generously floured surface to about a 9 inch circle about 1/8th inch thick. Transfer dough to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush top of dough with 1/2 teaspoon oil. 

Spread half of filling evenly over dough, leaving a 2 inch border around edge. Sprinkle with half of gorgonzola, cover with remaining filling, and top with remaining gorgonzola. The filling is going to be piled up pretty high. Drizzle remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil over filling. Fold the dough up over the filling to create the crust, pleating every couple of inches. Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with kosher salt. 

Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is beginning to brown, 35-45 minutes. Cool tart for about 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. 

Enjoy!

- Maddie 

adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook